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View Full Version : Tombow Object - a relatively obscure Japanese fountain pen.



Murfie
April 29th, 2014, 08:02 PM
I rarely see much attention given to the subject of this thread - the Japanese Tombow Object fountain pen. It is not an expensive model, being available for around US$50 (JetPens) and circa £25 (Cult Pens, The Writing Desk). I've had a couple of them for around 5 years or so, plus I purchased 2 extra nib units. I had the camera out today and both pens inked so I thought I would share the results with you.

The pens are of a medium size, with anodised metal barrel (7.1g) and cap (6.7g). The black metal section/nib unit that comes with the pen is the heaviest component (14.8g) but the 2 extra nib units that I purchased separately came in black plastic (3.1g) - a considerable weight difference. Because this difference is between your fingers, balance doesn't seem to be affected, just the total weight feel in the hand. The pens take an international cartridge and there is an optional converter than came with them. In total the pen weighs 30g with the metal section and 18.3g with the plastic section.

The cap is a push fit, but it doesn't require excessive effort, seats well and I've never had one pop off accidentally. The cap does post but the pen doesn't require this to use it, and I have never bothered to do so.

The section has a strange stepped shape, but is more comfortable in the hand that what the images would suggest. If anything I find the variable section width a tad narrow, but this purely subjective.

The nibs are steel and come in 4 grades - EF, F, M and OB. I have one of each. There is very little difference in line width from the F thru to the OB as the sample below indicates. While marked as an OB, there is no sign visually of any obliqueness in the foot of the nib and it looks and writes just like a B. The EF produces a typical Japanese extra fine line, however, it is surprisingly smooth and wet and very enjoyable to use if you like a very fine nib. The nibs are very firm with no give whatsoever, which mightn't suit some users.

The colors of my pens are red and petrol blue. There are seven distinctive colors in all available, including a magnificent purple and a bright orange.

The nib units include the nib, feed, and section all in one as the photos below show. They normally cost around half that of the complete pen.

Overall, I would rate these pens as reasonable value for money. They are pens that would take a lot of punishment and would be good for carting between home and the office, with no great damage to the wallet should one be mislaid or lost.

KrazyIvan
April 29th, 2014, 08:16 PM
I love that blue one. It's one I have looked into getting off and on but never seem to find one. I did have the matching mechanical pencil.

Bogon07
April 29th, 2014, 09:07 PM
Thanks for the review & photos.
They are quite neat & attractive looking pens with an intriguing pinched look at either end.
The red and the blue are both very nice metallic colours.

The section reminds me of garden hose and irrigation connectors.

The ink appears markedly different between the EF & the other three nibs.



KI was your mechanical pencil a black one ?

Murfie
April 29th, 2014, 09:14 PM
The ink appears markedly different between the EF & the other three nibs.
It's because the EF nib is much, much wetter than the other 3 nibs.

Lady Onogaro
April 29th, 2014, 09:29 PM
Very interesting review. Great pictures! Thank you. :)

AndyT
April 30th, 2014, 01:14 AM
Thanks Murfie, I always thought this was a good looking pen and wondered why it hardly ever gets a mention.

Murfie
April 30th, 2014, 02:37 AM
Thanks Murfie, I always thought this was a good looking pen and wondered why it hardly ever gets a mention.
No worries Andy. My own similar thoughts prompted me to create the thread.

VertOlive
April 30th, 2014, 10:30 AM
Nice looking pens...does being metal make them heavy? That's why I've never bought a Metropolitan...

AndyT
April 30th, 2014, 02:39 PM
Nice looking pens...does being metal make them heavy? That's why I've never bought a Metropolitan...

Nobody seems to have weighed one! They're aluminium so probably a good deal lighter than those brass Chinese pens and maybe the Metropolitan too, which is 24g.

Murfie
April 30th, 2014, 04:37 PM
Nice looking pens...does being metal make them heavy? That's why I've never bought a Metropolitan...
The barrel and cap are very thin aluminium. However, if you refer to the second paragraph in my post you will see that there is a huge weight difference between the metal section and the plastic one, with the former having innards of brass. This is reflected in the total pen weight of 30g for the metal section configuration versus 18.3g for the plastic.

But because the weight is low down, the metal section version doesn't feel as heavy in the hand as the weight suggests. I have owned these pens for some years, so maybe the metal section is no longer used in new pen stocks and are plastic like the extra ones I bought later on. Perhaps another FPG member who has bought one recently would care to comment on this aspect.

But getting back to your question Olive, I don't consider the heavier variant to be an overly heavy pen in any way, but that is of course is a subjective opinion that will differ between owners.

Bogon07
April 30th, 2014, 04:37 PM
Nice looking pens...does being metal make them heavy? That's why I've never bought a Metropolitan...

Nobody seems to have weighed one! They're aluminium so probably a good deal lighter than those brass Chinese pens and maybe the Metropolitan too, which is 24g.
Murfie has already done that for you:

The pens are of a medium size, with anodised metal barrel (7.1g) and cap (6.7g). The black metal section/nib unit that comes with the pen is the heaviest component (14.8g) but the 2 extra nib units that I purchased separately came in black plastic (3.1g) - a considerable weight difference. Because this difference is between your fingers, balance doesn't seem to be affected, just the total weight feel in the hand. The pens take an international cartridge and there is an optional converter than came with them. In total the pen weighs 30g with the metal section and 18.3g with the plastic section.
So at 30g they'd be a touch heavier than the Metropolitan 24g.

AndyT
May 1st, 2014, 03:07 AM
Murfie has already done that for you

Whoops, sorry Murfie.

Murfie
May 1st, 2014, 03:55 PM
Whoops, sorry Murfie.
Andy, not a problem. I appreciate your interest in the thread. Cheers!

AndyT
May 1st, 2014, 04:07 PM
It's embarrassing though. I read your post through with interest ... and a few hours later had forgotten what I'd read. Must be my advancing age.

Murfie
May 1st, 2014, 04:46 PM
... and a few hours later had forgotten what I'd read. Must be my advancing age.
Ha, ha. Welcome to the club. The first entry on all of my 'to do' lists is - 1. Remember to take list ...

At least if you don't take it too seriously, getting old is a bit of a laugh and surprisingly much more enjoyable than I imagined as a much younger person. From a pen buying perspective, only having a short term budget to worry about instead of a lifetime one, you can buy far more pens. That's my excuse anyway.

vibhi204
May 9th, 2014, 01:14 AM
Beautiful pen with good design and really smooth nib so worthy one should not hesitate before buying this japanese fountain pen Tombo.

Pinkys.Brain
June 2nd, 2014, 06:42 AM
Hm, Bock nib, I believe. I have both, the metal section and the plastic section: The metal section is a bit too heavy for the pen.

Also, while the cap can be posted, I do not recommend it. The paint gets scratched off, because the cap is held by a metal clamp inside the cap...

Another little minus is that standard converters (for me that means pelikan) rattle inside the barrel. Nothing that a little bit of celophane tape could not fix, but still...